Mateo Arias-Vélez
@mateoarias.bsky.social
PhD. Candidate in Philosophy of Science (UNAM). M.A in Philosophy of Science. B.A. in Philosophy.
Interested in philosophy of animal cognition and philosophy of biology
Interested in philosophy of animal cognition and philosophy of biology
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Imagination in bonobos!
I am thrilled to share a new paper w/ Amalia Bastos, out now in @science.org
We provide the first experimental evidence that a nonhuman animal can follow along a pretend scenario & track imaginary objects. Work w/ Kanzi, the bonobo, at Ape Initiative
youtu.be/NUSHcQQz2Ko
I am thrilled to share a new paper w/ Amalia Bastos, out now in @science.org
We provide the first experimental evidence that a nonhuman animal can follow along a pretend scenario & track imaginary objects. Work w/ Kanzi, the bonobo, at Ape Initiative
youtu.be/NUSHcQQz2Ko
Apes Share Human Ability to Imagine
YouTube video by Johns Hopkins University
youtu.be
February 5, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Imagination in bonobos!
I am thrilled to share a new paper w/ Amalia Bastos, out now in @science.org
We provide the first experimental evidence that a nonhuman animal can follow along a pretend scenario & track imaginary objects. Work w/ Kanzi, the bonobo, at Ape Initiative
youtu.be/NUSHcQQz2Ko
I am thrilled to share a new paper w/ Amalia Bastos, out now in @science.org
We provide the first experimental evidence that a nonhuman animal can follow along a pretend scenario & track imaginary objects. Work w/ Kanzi, the bonobo, at Ape Initiative
youtu.be/NUSHcQQz2Ko
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
I'm touched by the incredibly generous assessments that some of the first readers of "The Organism-Environment Pairing" (@mitpress.bsky.social) have offered! I'm excited to exchange ideas with everyone once the book is published in May! 📗
mitpress.mit.edu/978026205282... #HPbio #HPS #evosky #philsky
mitpress.mit.edu/978026205282... #HPbio #HPS #evosky #philsky
January 29, 2026 at 4:11 PM
I'm touched by the incredibly generous assessments that some of the first readers of "The Organism-Environment Pairing" (@mitpress.bsky.social) have offered! I'm excited to exchange ideas with everyone once the book is published in May! 📗
mitpress.mit.edu/978026205282... #HPbio #HPS #evosky #philsky
mitpress.mit.edu/978026205282... #HPbio #HPS #evosky #philsky
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
1/7 Look, Mom, no hands!
They have studied the age at which chimpanzees take the most risks (jumping and doing crazy things from tree to tree). It turns out that they have a peak in childhood, and it decreases as they grow older. This tells us something very interesting about ourselves.
They have studied the age at which chimpanzees take the most risks (jumping and doing crazy things from tree to tree). It turns out that they have a peak in childhood, and it decreases as they grow older. This tells us something very interesting about ourselves.
January 16, 2026 at 8:59 AM
1/7 Look, Mom, no hands!
They have studied the age at which chimpanzees take the most risks (jumping and doing crazy things from tree to tree). It turns out that they have a peak in childhood, and it decreases as they grow older. This tells us something very interesting about ourselves.
They have studied the age at which chimpanzees take the most risks (jumping and doing crazy things from tree to tree). It turns out that they have a peak in childhood, and it decreases as they grow older. This tells us something very interesting about ourselves.
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Loved this paper by @kristinandrews.bsky.social and Noam Miller. A very convincing argument for the function of consciousness.
The social origins of consciousness | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
We present the social origins of consciousness hypothesis, according to which the
ability to coordinate with group members was the original adaptive function of consciousness.
We offer three arguments...
royalsocietypublishing.org
November 18, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Loved this paper by @kristinandrews.bsky.social and Noam Miller. A very convincing argument for the function of consciousness.
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
I am incredibly honored to have been invited as one of the keynote speakers for the XIV PBCS! This long-standing initiative is very supportive of graduate students & early-career researchers, so I encourage everyone to submit their abstracts! See you in Madrid next year! #HPS #HPbio #cogsci #philsky
December 2, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I am incredibly honored to have been invited as one of the keynote speakers for the XIV PBCS! This long-standing initiative is very supportive of graduate students & early-career researchers, so I encourage everyone to submit their abstracts! See you in Madrid next year! #HPS #HPbio #cogsci #philsky
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
For the first time, scientists have published a detailed report of adoption in these great apes.
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
Orangutan adopts little sister after their mother's death
For the first time, scientists have published a detailed report of adoption in these great apes.
www.nationalgeographic.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:44 AM
For the first time, scientists have published a detailed report of adoption in these great apes.
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
New Paper out in Proceedings of the Royal Society B! 🎉 Sequence organization of mother–infant interactions in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the wild. See the thread below for a quick explanation, and check out the paper: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Sequence organization of mother–infant interactions in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the wild | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Sequence organization is a fundamental feature of human communication, shaping our
interactions. This organization underlies interactions with and without language,
appears early in human development ...
royalsocietypublishing.org
November 26, 2025 at 1:14 PM
New Paper out in Proceedings of the Royal Society B! 🎉 Sequence organization of mother–infant interactions in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the wild. See the thread below for a quick explanation, and check out the paper: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
On this day in 1859 English naturalist Charles #Darwin publishes "On the Origin of Species," radically changing the view of #evolution and laying the foundation for evolutionary biology. #otd
November 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
On this day in 1859 English naturalist Charles #Darwin publishes "On the Origin of Species," radically changing the view of #evolution and laying the foundation for evolutionary biology. #otd
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Our New Paper is out in Nature Human Behaviour: 🚨 Culture is critical in driving orangutan diet development past individual potentials! 🦧 www.nature.com/articles/s41.... See 🧵
Culture is critical in driving orangutan diet development past individual potentials - Nature Human Behaviour
Howard-Spink et al. develop an empirically based model of orangutan diet development, which suggests that social learning is vital for orangutans to acquire varied diets.
www.nature.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Our New Paper is out in Nature Human Behaviour: 🚨 Culture is critical in driving orangutan diet development past individual potentials! 🦧 www.nature.com/articles/s41.... See 🧵
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Maternal glucocorticoids and behavior shape offspring developmental trade-offs in wild baboons https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.18.689046v1
November 19, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Maternal glucocorticoids and behavior shape offspring developmental trade-offs in wild baboons https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.18.689046v1
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
New paper!
We propose a framework to empirically study animal social relationships by modelling social network (SN) data as time-series—that is, without the need to aggregate them over time.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We propose a framework to empirically study animal social relationships by modelling social network (SN) data as time-series—that is, without the need to aggregate them over time.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 12, 2025 at 11:56 AM
New paper!
We propose a framework to empirically study animal social relationships by modelling social network (SN) data as time-series—that is, without the need to aggregate them over time.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We propose a framework to empirically study animal social relationships by modelling social network (SN) data as time-series—that is, without the need to aggregate them over time.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
With more than 6,700 mammal species on Earth, what sets primates apart? Discover the features, behaviors, and incredible diversity that make primates truly unique. This video is part of our "Discovering Primates" introductory series for young learners. youtu.be/Ne_gzf2Ur4U
WHO are Primates?
YouTube video by New England Primate Conservancy
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
The ability to change your mind in response to better evidence is a hallmark of human cognition. Experiments now show that chimps are capable of rational thought too
go.nature.com/3JVLhGk
go.nature.com/3JVLhGk
Be rational: chimp decision-making is guided by the strongest evidence
The ability to change your mind in response to better evidence is a hallmark of human cognition. Experiments now show that chimps are capable of rational thought too.
go.nature.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The ability to change your mind in response to better evidence is a hallmark of human cognition. Experiments now show that chimps are capable of rational thought too
go.nature.com/3JVLhGk
go.nature.com/3JVLhGk
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Excellent new preprint by Sarahanne Field and @maddipow.bsky.social argues “bias is not a contaminant to be purged; it is a constitutive element of research, shaping every decision from hypothesis formation to data interpretation.”
Few quotes follow...🧵
Few quotes follow...🧵
"Science is not, and has never been, a neutral endeavour... the notion that researchers can or should cleanse themselves of bias is untenable, potentially intellectually dishonest, and ethically fraught."
New preprint with the (brilliant) Sarahanne Field #Metascience2025
osf.io/preprints/os...
New preprint with the (brilliant) Sarahanne Field #Metascience2025
osf.io/preprints/os...
July 2, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Excellent new preprint by Sarahanne Field and @maddipow.bsky.social argues “bias is not a contaminant to be purged; it is a constitutive element of research, shaping every decision from hypothesis formation to data interpretation.”
Few quotes follow...🧵
Few quotes follow...🧵
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
If this doesn’t end bonobos’ reputation as the hippies of the great apes I don’t know what will. www.cell.com/current-biol...
Coalitionary intra-group aggression by wild female bonobos
Sonya Pashchevskaya and colleagues document a potentially fatal attack of a male bonobo
by a group of females.
www.cell.com
October 7, 2025 at 7:27 PM
If this doesn’t end bonobos’ reputation as the hippies of the great apes I don’t know what will. www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Geschwisteradoption bei wilden Borneo-Orang-Utans 🦧👭
Scott et al. berichten den ersten detaillierten Fall einer Geschwisteradoption - nach dem Verlust der Mutter adoptierte die ältere Schwester das verwaiste Jungtier, förderte damit dessen Unabhängigkeit und sicherte sein Überleben. #OpenAccess
Scott et al. berichten den ersten detaillierten Fall einer Geschwisteradoption - nach dem Verlust der Mutter adoptierte die ältere Schwester das verwaiste Jungtier, förderte damit dessen Unabhängigkeit und sicherte sein Überleben. #OpenAccess
A Case of Sibling Adoption in Wild Orangutans: Accelerated Development of Independence Following Maternal Loss
Vanna/Ronnie lost her mother Veli when she was between 4.2 and 5 years old (pictured together on the left). Subsequently, Vanna/Ronnie was seen traveling with and sleeping in the same nest as her old...
doi.org
October 8, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Geschwisteradoption bei wilden Borneo-Orang-Utans 🦧👭
Scott et al. berichten den ersten detaillierten Fall einer Geschwisteradoption - nach dem Verlust der Mutter adoptierte die ältere Schwester das verwaiste Jungtier, förderte damit dessen Unabhängigkeit und sicherte sein Überleben. #OpenAccess
Scott et al. berichten den ersten detaillierten Fall einer Geschwisteradoption - nach dem Verlust der Mutter adoptierte die ältere Schwester das verwaiste Jungtier, förderte damit dessen Unabhängigkeit und sicherte sein Überleben. #OpenAccess
I just saw Jane this weekend giving a wonderful talk about the importance of protecting our environment. She has been a profound influence on my thinking. The world has lost one of its greatest advocates. Thank you, Jane, for your invaluable contribution
October 1, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I just saw Jane this weekend giving a wonderful talk about the importance of protecting our environment. She has been a profound influence on my thinking. The world has lost one of its greatest advocates. Thank you, Jane, for your invaluable contribution
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Jane Goodall, pioneering chimpanzee zoologist who revealed the animals’ links to humans, dies aged 91
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Jane Goodall, much-loved pioneering chimpanzee expert, dies aged 91
Award-winning primatologist who established world’s longest-running chimp study still lectured on conservation and climate even over age of 91
www.independent.co.uk
October 1, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Jane Goodall, pioneering chimpanzee zoologist who revealed the animals’ links to humans, dies aged 91
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Let’s suppose Terminator and M3GAN were happen. How would we know that the IAs have begun to be conscious? Andrews and Birch point out that as long as we don’t know what all conscious forms have in common across different animals, we will never be able to know whether IAs can be conscious.
To understand AI sentience, first understand it in animals | Aeon Essays
As the power of AI grows, we need to have evidence of its sentience. That is why we must return to the minds of animals
aeon.co
August 28, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Let’s suppose Terminator and M3GAN were happen. How would we know that the IAs have begun to be conscious? Andrews and Birch point out that as long as we don’t know what all conscious forms have in common across different animals, we will never be able to know whether IAs can be conscious.
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
An investigation of social learning of tool-use in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) using a ball-up / ball-down task https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.17.670717v1
August 20, 2025 at 9:45 PM
An investigation of social learning of tool-use in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) using a ball-up / ball-down task https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.17.670717v1
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Reposted by Mateo Arias-Vélez
Nice piece by @katewong.bsky.social @sciam.bsky.social on why we humans aren't as unique as some of us like to think... Great examples here from primates, fish, insects, and more. A nice shout-out to my work on animal grief too. #animals #nature #anthropology #evolution 🧪
Whales Mourn, Birds Show Self-Awareness, Plants Remember—Are Humans Really So Special?
Other species exhibit capabilities that were once thought to be exclusive to Homo sapiens
www.scientificamerican.com
August 21, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Nice piece by @katewong.bsky.social @sciam.bsky.social on why we humans aren't as unique as some of us like to think... Great examples here from primates, fish, insects, and more. A nice shout-out to my work on animal grief too. #animals #nature #anthropology #evolution 🧪
Today we are celebrating the world orangutan day 🦧
August 19, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Today we are celebrating the world orangutan day 🦧